WHO: Kit Volkov-Artiza & Theodore Winters WHAT: Bonding over waffles. WHERE: Original Pancake House WHEN: Tuesday, lunchtime WARNINGS: TOO MANY PANCAKES. nojk.
It was almost precisely noon as Kit rolled up the ramp into the Original Pancake House, minutes away from the nonprofit, Help Them Walk Again, where the boy worked. His hands were slick and sweaty, making it difficult to propel himself against the ever-present push of gravity and up the steep grade, but he managed. The perspiration was partly due to the unseasonable warmth (in Kit’s mind anyway) that lay over the city of Las Vegas and the effort of moving up a ramp, and partly because he was meeting his benevolent benefactor for a lunch long past due.
For the past two weeks or so, Kit withdrawn into his new rooms provided by Theo at the Wynn. He’d felt inklings of guilt stirring in the back of his mind, however. Bran wanted to see his father, as ever, and that contributed. But Theo had bent over backwards for Kit, asking nothing in return - and how did Kit repay such kindness? He felt sorry for himself and loafed about. His mother would have been disappointed - and it was that thought that helped push Kit through the door into the restaurant, when he very much wanted to turn around and hide behind the welcome desk at work.
He was ashamed of himself, in truth. But (and Bran agreed), the adult thing to do was not to run away, tail between his legs. So. Here he was. - The Original Pancake House was crowded with people seeking waffles at noon. They moved aside soon enough, though, when they noticed the kid in the wheelchair trying to reach the host at his little greeter-stand, or whatever that thing was. The host - a boy no older than Kit, with the reddest hair he’d ever seen leaned over the side of his desk-thing when Kit spoke. It appeared he presumed Kit was deaf, as well as crippled. The host shouted a welcome.
To say that Theo was worried about Kit would have been an understatement. He tried very hard not to pry with these guys, because they weren’t his family, but he was still worried. It was harder to keep his distance with Kit, mostly because of the accident and the role he had played. There was some part of him that thought it was his fault, that he could have done something to save Kit that day. Rationally, he knew he’d done everything he could, that he was still doing everything he could. So he watched - subtly - and waited, and finally he asked Kit to have lunch with him. The boy agreed and chose The Original Pancake House. It wouldn’t have been Theo’s first choice, but since he was doing this for Kit, he would’ve gone anywhere.
Theo arrived shortly before Kit did and requested a table with enough room to comfortably accommodate a wheelchair. It took some finagling but he was just being led to his seat when he heard Kit’s voice at the front. Theo stopped and turned, seeing Kit right at the front. “Kit!” he called, already striding back to the front so that they could walk back to their table together. “I’m glad we were able to work something out. How long is your lunch break?” he asked, once they were seated.
The Original Pancake House, while not a particularly classy establishment, was a favorite of Kit’s. He liked pancakes. He liked houses. It was close enough to trek to during lunch. And, the menu was almost exclusively breakfast food. What could be better? - As the ginger host struggled to communicate with Kit, the boy heard a familiar voice call his name. Theo was making his way over briskly. Kit excused himself from the host and accompanied Theo back to their table quietly.
When he’d settled in and engaged his chair’s brakes, he smiled sheepishly at the older man. “Forty-five minutes,” he said, feeling at a slight loss for words. Fidgeting with the paper napkin in front of him, he struggled to think of something to say. After a moment, he finally blurted (he never did have much tact), “I’m sorry. I know I - kind of disappeared. I didn’t mean... to...” Kit was embarrassing himself. He pressed on anyway, a red blush creeping into his cheeks. “...Seem ungrateful.”
Just seeing Kit made Theo feel better, and he waved off Kit’s apology easily. “You didn’t seem ungrateful at all, so please don’t worry about it,” he insisted, unfolding his napkin and laying it across his lap. It was a far cry from the places he typically ate at and he was well aware that the crisp light grey business suit he wore was out of place at the breakfast place. The waiter came over and Theo ordered himself a cup of coffee, along with a short stack of pancakes and two eggs over easy. The waiter turned to Kit to take his order, and then made to leave but Theodore stopped him.
“Sorry, but we’ve only got about half an hour for lunch. If you could accommodate that, I’d appreciate it.” Theo’s smile and charm went a long way in getting him what he wanted, and this was no different. The waiter looked unsure for a moment before nodding and walking off. Satisfied, Theo turned his smile to Kit. “Now, is your room alright?” He’d consulted with a home health care agency about what sort of accommodations Kit would need and worked off their recommendations. No one asked questions, at least not to Theo, and he was glad he was the boss.
Ned aside, there was something comfortingly paternal about Theo to Kit. His own father was a kind, warm man, yes, but having had very little contact with him since Kit’d left home for school, he felt it from Theo much more immediately. (Bran’s own emotions didn’t help the matter.) That all said, and with his mother in mind, the boy did feel as if he’d acted rudely. He was grateful, in any case, that Theo brushed it off so easily. He felt a little less bad.
The pair ordered the food. Theo stopped the rushing waiter, to ask if they could get their food sooner rather than later (he said it much more politely), before turning to Kit, who smiled pleasantly. He then appeared thoughtful as he considered, very briefly, the question before him. He gave an incredulous laugh, because really?
“Alright? Yes - obviously, it’s... I can’t think of a word that doesn’t sound too hyperbolic. But it’s great, yes.” Kit leaned on the table on his elbows, oblivious to the incongruence between Theo’s suit and the ratty jeans and t-shirts everyone else was sporting. He paused a moment, as if thinking. “Oh, and Bran is asking after Ned.” Having Ned in his head was a blessing and a curse. Some days were better than others, and certain situations found Ned far more helpful, but in the long run, the pair worked fairly well together. When it came to Kit, Ned certainly didn’t help Theo’s feeling responsible for taking care of the boy. He also knew that the arrangements he’d made for the suite he gave Kit wouldn’t have been made anywhere else unless Kit had the money to ensure that it did happen. Everything worked out in the end though, so he tried not to dwell on it.
He grinned when Kit insisted that the room had everything he needed. At least he didn’t mind that he occasionally had the tendency to go overboard. He did his best to keep it in check with Raegan because of how desperately he wanted to keep her in his life, and with Nell because she had no real reason to be connected to him, let alone let Ned see his daughter. Things were so much simpler with Kit. “I’m glad it’s enough. If there’s anything else that would make your stay more comfortable, you need only ask.” The waiter returned with their drinks, assured Theo that their meals would be out shortly, and left. He fixed his coffee with creamer and sugar before answering about Ned. “He’s doing well. It’s...difficult to watch the series as it airs. He’s very impatient to find out what happens to his children. I’ve ordered the audiobooks, but it’s just a matter of having the time to listen to them. Running the Wynn is a full time job, as it were. How is Bran doing?”
If there was anyone who was low maintenance (such a strange concept, really), it was Kit. He wasn’t especially fussy. He could be sensitive and was a picky eater, yes, but otherwise, he was generally easy-going and amiable. This was both a strength and a weakness. (Bran, for example, thought that Kit needed to... proverbially.. stand up for himself more in situations where he felt uncomfortable or what-have-you. Kit simply reminded Bran that Bran could do as he liked when he was in Westeros, and Kit was going to do as he pleased here.)
His coke was set on the table. Kit thanked the waiter quietly, before unwrapping the bleached paper around his straw. He smiled at Theo, as the other man perfected his coffee. (There was a drink that Kit did not understand the fuss about.) But as Theo spoke, the boy’s smiled faltered. He (and Bran) both worried how Ned and Theo would take the fates of the Stark children, most of which were not especially happy, and some of which were terribly gruesome. “Oh.” Kit swallowed a sip of his soda, pressing his lips together. “If you wanted, - and I don’t know if I’d recommend this or not, truly, but if you really wanted to, you could always find the A Song of Ice and Fire wiki, and look everyone up.” The boy glanced at his hands. He didn’t know if he ought be suggesting this, but well, he never was one that minded spoilers, but rather, wanted to know what happened. “I don’t know how keen either of you are to find out what’s - er- actually become of the Stark children.”
Shifting a bit, Kit gave another small smile. “Bran’s fine, if insistent that we return.”
Theo hadn't thought of looking up what would happen online, but it was a sound suggestion. He took a sip of his coffee, taking his time to formulate an answer. Did he want to know what happened to them? Ned was very insistent that he did, particularly with Nell's cryptic warnings about what would happen to Arya. He also wanted to know what happened with Jon, particularly after the latest episode. There were so many questions, but Theo feared that Ned wouldn't like what he would find, or that he'd want to discuss it with the children and that might not be the best course of action either. Theo didn't exactly have a stellar track record when it came to confronting children.
He placed the cup down gingerly on the table, acutely aware that he would never serve coffee in such a worn cup. Had he really become so out of touch with things that he turned his nose down at a diner? He wasn't sure how he felt about that. All of that aside, he had Kit to think of, and Bran. They were more important to focus on right now, not the possible fates of Ned's children. "I'll certainly consider it. I think it's done him well to receive it in small doses, despite how anxious he is to know the fates of everyone." The show also opened his eyes to potential allies, such as Danaerys Targaryan and Tyrion Lannister.
"I was just through last night, after the latest episode finished.” Theodore failed to mention that the key opened to King’s Landing, or that he’d spent hours scouring the stronghold secretly, searching for Sansa, Joffrey, and Cersei. The latter two would have been killed without thought if they had been found, but Ned had come up empty. He left feeling better though, and that helped considerably. “I’m afraid there’s very little I can do to have things renovated at Winterfell, but Ned would eagerly set things in motion if it’s something you er, Bran would like.”
“If you do look things up online, just be careful,” came Kit’s unbidden response. He was suddenly very worried what the shock might do to Ned - what might it lead him to do. The boy smiled sheepishly again, flushing, aware of how silly he might sound. “I just meant... so much happens in the four following books after Ned dies. It could be dangerous.”
His eyes on the chipped mug in Theo’s hands, Kit sighed lightly. He moved his gaze back to the man across from him, as he said that he’d gone through the door just the night before. “I don’t know. It feels weird to me to change things behind the door. But I guess it would be Bran, and it’s his world.” Kit didn’t bother lowering his voice. The restaurant was already loud, but - if anyone did decide to eavesdrop, they’d probably just think the boy in the wheelchair and the businessman were discussing last night’s episode of Game of Thrones, or perhaps, the writing of fanfiction. That made the boy smile. He shook his head and continued on, trying to keep his voice serious. “It’s a conundrum. It’s too bad that there seems to be a magic about Westeros, but nothing can be done about Bran. He says he doesn’t mind so much anymore, but it does make getting around difficult.”
“No kidding,” Theo replied with a chuckle. “Arya’s certainly been quite cryptic about what’s to come. Each episode certainly doesn’t make it any easier but he is glad that Gendry is keeping an eye on her. It seems the Lannisters are scarce and that is a welcome truth. Hopefully it will be awhile before the horrid ones show up.” If they could only be so lucky. Theo didn’t particularly relish the thought of being a murderer, and that’s exactly what he’d be if Ned took matters into his own hands, on either side of the door. Thankfully, there was quite a bit of open communication between the pair and Ned had never had a need to take over Theodore to get things done.
“I can understand what you mean. Ned finds it rather...unfortunate that he can’t accommodate Bran as well as I’ve been able to for you. It’s a bit of a difficult situation, and neither one of us is terribly fond of. If you would like to spend more time in Winterfell, I would be happy to set aside time to go with you, or perhaps arrange for your siblings to visit as well?” He didn’t want to overstep his bounds, but Kit seemed the most receptive out of all of them and he was eager to focus what he could on the boy.
The horrid ones. Kit thought on Jaime and Cersei and frowned. Bran had not reacted well to the revelation of the perpetrators of his accident. He’d always had an inkling, but Kit had told him, definitively. It didn’t sit well, even in context of the “story” or “plot” or whatever words Kit used in an attempt to calm the other boy. “Hopefully,” said Kit, raising his eyebrows and taking a drink of his soda. He didn’t sound so convinced, but, he did hope. Winterfell had been so empty. Perhaps the rest of Westeros was as well.
“That would be nice. Bran would be overjoyed, I know.” Kit smiled at the thought of a Stark reunion. “But, I’m not sure yet. I feel like I need to invent some way for Bran to be able to get around and I’m as of yet uninspired.” The only think Kit could think of to do, if it was even possible, would be to get someone from some other door whose universe had the technology or magic needed for healing Bran. But, then again, he wrestled with the ethics of changing someone’s character - or a fundamental part thereof. Bran, of course, resented being referred to as such and called Kit names.
The issues of Jaime, Cersei, and Joffrey Lannister were unbelievably difficult. Theodore understood Ned’s intense desire to kill them and he could understand the other Starks’ desires to see them dead. The Lannisters had done quite a bit of evil, but there was no house they’d destroyed more than Ned’s and Robert’s. Ned took it upon himself to avenge his best friend, along with both their houses. Theodore could understand that, support it even, particularly since they weren’t part of the equation just yet. He did know, with absolutely certainty, that he didn’t want Raegan, Nell, Kit, or any of the other Stark children to have that on their hands.
It was a somber thought and he pushed it away as best she could. He just didn’t want to think about it. Thankfully, the waiter came with their food just then, as promised, and Theodore thanked the man before tucking into his breakfast-for-lunch. “I can certainly pass along the request,” he promised with a smile. “Perhaps we can even arrange for a bit of a gathering between all of us on this side of the door as well,” he suggested offhand. It shouldn’t be too difficult, and he was happy to finance such a thing. “Just be careful with that, particularly if you go about asking for ways to help such a thing.” That warning was accompanied by a hard look, one that a father would very much give his son.
Neither Bran nor Kit knew if they wanted Jaime or Cersei dead, per se. Sometimes Bran thought he did - was sure he did, but revenge wasn’t a good enough reason, he didn’t think. So he waffled, and Kit waffled with him. That didn’t mean, however, that the boys liked them. Bran understood more about both Cersei’s and Jaime’s character from Kit’s knowledge of the books, and that changed things, but. He didn’t like them. He couldn’t find it in himself. Not yet.
But that, presently, was neither here nor there. Kit thanked the server again, this time as his food was placed before him. (Speaking of waffling...) His meal was to consist of Belgian waffles and a healthy amount of maple syrup. The boy poured the syrup from its tiny, metal container, listening to Theo as he did so. “I might be able to talk Nell into attending,” said Kit, not remembering if he’d told the older man of his friendship with the girl. He began to cut his waffles into strips, unable to keep himself from smiling at Theo’s fatherly warning. “I will be.”
Kit was definitely proving to be the easiest. Theo felt bad for comparing them but it was true. He accepted Theo’s help without question or comment, or if he did, he didn’t say anything to him, which Theo appreciated. Honestly it was difficult to balance all of these suddenly very precarious relationships and he felt quite a bit like he’d been thrown in the deep end and he was barely keeping his head above water. With a slight sigh, Theo set his eggs over his pancakes and set in, letting the runny yolks drench his pancakes before taking the first bite.
A slight tilt of his head accompanied the curious look he gave Kit. “You know Nell?” he asked, trying to remember if he’d mentioned any of them to each other. He didn’t think so, and it was just as likely that they’d met on their own. That thought made him smile. Kit would be good for Nell, and Raegan as well. Maybe his easygoing nature would rub off on them, at least when it came to his involvement in their lives. “Good. Let me know if you’re going to meet anyone about that too. I won’t stop you, but I want to know just in case.” Because Theo knew all about the horrible things that could happen when meeting a stranger.
“Oh - I do know Nell,” Kit said in an apologetic tone, bobbing his head slightly. “She and I have been friends - well, I knew her when I was in school in Seattle. She told me she knows you, too.” The boy decided not to mention that when he and Nell had spoken about Theo, and that Kit had promptly outed Theo as Ned. Luckily, it wasn’t news to Nell. Elsewise, he’d really feel bad.
“I’ll let you know. I see how it could be dangerous. I could accidentally walk into some kind of trap, I know.” Well. Not walk. Kit shook his head.
All of this was quite a bit of news to Theo, but at least the two of them got along. In some dark, horrid corner of his mind, there was a whispered thought that Maren might be one of his, but he pushed that away quite firmly. He wasn’t going to go there; it would just make his head hurt and he’d end up doing something stupid. That would only push her further away. If he kept thinking on it any longer, he’d start muttering to himself, and that was a bad idea. Moving on. “I’m glad you two get along so well,” he replied with a smile. Perhaps Kit would be a good influence on Nell, and vice versa. Perhaps he’d ask her to take Kit out sometime, on his dime of course, just to get the boy out of his suite.
“Exactly,” Theo agreed, glad Kit was sensible about all of this. “I apologize if I come across...a bit too strongly.” He didn’t bother blaming it on Ned, or clarifying any further. If Kit asked, he’d try to explain the guilt he felt regarding the boy’s accident, but it wasn’t information he would volunteer. He had made a similar apology to Nell, hoping that she wouldn’t hold it against him too badly. Perhaps something positive could come of that relationship. He certainly hoped so.
The fact that Nell had surfaced in Las Vegas was still surprising to Kit, when he really thought about it. At one time, he and the girl had been quite close, but had eventually gone their separate ways (and had not kept in contact). Her turning up at the same time as Bran - and her carrying around Arya - well, it was so much coincidence, it was scary. Kit chose not to think about it often. Instead, he and Nell talked about video games, as they always had.
“She’s ridiculous, but I love her,” said Kit with a laugh. He took a bite of his syrupy waffle. He wanted to ask if she and Theo got on, but decided that might be nosy. Had he known, of course, how much Theo knew about him, he would just ask. As it was, he just ate his waffles.
Theo’s overprotective tone flew over Kit’s head, more or less. He didn’t see what the man was apologizing for, so he shrugged his shoulders. “No. I know. What would happen if, after asking around and admitting I have Bran in there -” He gestured to his head. “- I ran into Jaime Lannister or something. Egh. That would be bad.”
Love? Well that was new, and decidedly unexpected. He gave an interested sort of hum as he took another bite of his egg-soaked pancakes. It was an odd choice, perhaps, but he’d always had his pancakes that way ever since he’d seen his best friend’s father eat them in a similar fashion. After trying it once, he was hooked. “Have you two discussed things then?” he asked, trying to be discreet given their current setting.
Kit’s suggestion of just one possibility had Theo thinking it wouldn’t be the best idea for Kit to be advertising just who his Alter was. The Starks had a number of enemies and that could potentially put them all at great risk just by going through the door. The advantage would go to one who knew who they were on the Las Vegas side and that didn’t sit right with Ned or Theo. His grip tightened around the metal of the fork’s handle. “Try to be discreet, please. I don’t want you to put yourself in harm’s way.” He couldn’t outright forbid it, at least he didn’t think he could.
The hum went unnoticed by a happy, waffle-eating Kit. He gave a small shake of the head at Theo’s question, swallowing before saying: “Not really. We know who each other are, but, otherwise, I’ve not seen her around too much lately.”
Although the community of those like himself and Theo and Nell was, to Kit’s limited knowledge, small, it was one of suspicion and distrust. That much Kit already knew. No one wanted to say the wrong thing to the wrong person. Lives - not fictional lives, but real lives were at stake. So, despite the fact that the handwritings and fonts and writing styles were becoming increasingly familiar to the boy, he didn’t know who half of them belonged to - and the other half, whom he knew on this side of the door, he knew nothing about their other halves. And he didn’t ask. Nor did he advertise his own voice-in-residence. It was, he had found, an unwritten rule. The few people he did know about had only begrudgingly told him at first - which made sense, given the tenuous circumstances of the whole thing.
“I won’t and I’ll be discreet. I promise,” said Kit confidently. He knew this was unchartered territory. And, as in any frontier, it was every man for himself.
“She does seem rather busy. I’m sure if you get in touch with her, she’ll set aside time for you. I am hoping to have us all get together sometime soon,” he admitted, nearly finished with his meal. “How has work been for you? And your friends?” Theo was more than a little curious about Kit’s life and what information he could gather from the young man himself meant less for him to go about discovering in his backhanded sort of way. That Kit agreed he would be discreet made him smile. “Good, and I’d appreciate keeping me apprised of your progress,” Theo added, but that would be enough of that for now. The waitress came back and refilled their drinks, which Theo murmured a quiet thanks for. A glance at his watch indicated they didn’t have too much time left until Kit needed to be back at the non-profit.
“She does seem rather busy. I’m sure if you get in touch with her, she’ll set aside time for you. I am hoping to have us all get together sometime soon,” he admitted, nearly finished with his meal. “How has work been for you? And your friends?” Theo was more than a little curious about Kit’s life and what information he could gather from the young man himself meant less for him to go about discovering in his backhanded sort of way. That Kit agreed he would be discreet made him smile. “Good, and I’d appreciate keeping me apprised of your progress,” Theo added, but that would be enough of that for now. The waitress came back and refilled their drinks, which Theo murmured a quiet thanks for. A glance at his watch indicated they didn’t have too much time left until Kit needed to be back at the non-profit.
A get-together would be nice, Kit thought. He propped his chin in his hand, chewing thoughtfully. (He was a slow eater.) "Work's alright," he said, omitting the visit from Blake, because - well, he didn't really know what to say about it. And it might just sound weird. "Friends are good. Some people and I have been getting together on a weekly basis for gaming, which has been fun. It's about time, too. I can't hide forever, I suppose."
The phone that sat in Kit's pocket let out a little trill. He had to go. Looking sheepish, he wiped his hands on his napkin. "We should ask for the check."